Improvement in ice-machines



2 Sheets-Sheet 1. T. L. RANKIN.

ICE-MACHINE. No.175,498. Patented March 28,1876.

.dttorneyg NFEIERS. PKOTD-LXTHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTONv D O,

.Z Sheets-Sheet2. T. L. RANKIN.

ICE-MACHINE. N 175,498 PatentedMarch 28,1876.

WITNESSES 1.7V VENTOR 3% wa /km Jttqrney;

N-PETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPMER, WASHINGTGN. U C,

UNITED STATES PATENT Orrrca THoMAs L. RANKIN, or EMPORIA, KANsAs.

IMPROVEMENT IN ICE-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 175,498, dated March 28, 1876; application tiled March 4, 1876.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOs. L. RANKIN, of

Emporia, in the county of Lyon, and in the State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ice-Machines and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangement of a condenser and an evaporator for ice-machines, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertaius to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, referring to the annexed drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of my condenser and evaporator. Fig. 2 shows the arran gement of the coils in the evaporator. Figs. 3 and 4 show the arrangement c t-coils in the condenser.

A represents a box of suitable dimensions, forming the case of the condenser, within which are arranged coils of gaspipe, B, in inclined zigzag form, as shown in Fig. 3, with suitable cast-iron return bends. These returns will be such a distance from each other and from the ends of the box that a man may pass up or down to get at any point to tighten any joint in case of leakage. Between the difi'erent layers or rows of pipe running from alternate ends are board floors, O U, to compel the air to pass the entire length of all the pipes. Through these floors passes a vertical pipe, D, provided with short hollow arms or nozzles a a. This pipe is placed in suitable bearings, and provided with a pulley for belt or cog connections, to cause the same to rotate and spray the water passing through it to all parts of the box over all the pipes. The floors O are sufficiently inclined to allow the water to pass on their outer ends.

E is a blower connected with the bottom of the condenser, and provided with a suctionflue, G, to bring the air from above the building, and blows through the spraying and falling water causing a very great amount of evaporation upon the pipes, and all the surcoils H are put together by means of boards I 1, arranged vertically, and of the same width as the distance required between the coils. These boards are formed into bulkheads across the case or tank G, and bored with holes at their edges for the passage of the pipes, as shown in Fig. 2, and these bulkheads form a chamber, G, at each end of the tank. In each bulk-head are bored other holes. :10, the combined capacity of which should equal the capacity of the pump used for circulating the salt -water between the pans J, said pans being placed vertically between the coils, as shown.

K is a rotary pump placed at the-end of the tank, and connected, by pipes e c, with both chambers G. The water is drawn from one of said chambers by the pump, and returned immediately into the other chamber G, and discharged against the center of the end of the tank, so as to spread it to all parts of that chamber, from which it is drawn through and between the pans, taking up and giving ofi its cold to the fresh Water to be frozen in the pans. The pump being equal to the capacity of the holes in the bulk-heads, and the passage-way open from end to end, it gives a very even distribution of the liquid and cold. The whole evaporator is to be covered and felted, as usual.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In acondenser for ice-machines, a vertical rotating waterpipe, D, provided with a series of hollow arms or nozzles, a, for discharging the water in the form of spray, as and for the purposes herein set forth.

2. The combination of the pipes B, inclined in the tank G, to form end chambers G, and floors (J, and vertical rotating water-pipe D, the pump K, connected with said chambers by with arms or nozzles to, substantially as and pipes e 6, all substantially as and for the purfor the purposes herein set forth. poses herein set forth.

3. The combination of the blower E, rotat- In testimony that I claim the foregoing I ing water-pipe D,'With arms or nozzles a, the have hereunto set my hand this 16th day of inclined floor O, and pipes B, all constructed February, 1876.

and arranged substantially as and for the pur-. 'IHOS. L. RANKIN. poses herein set forth. Witnesses;

4. In an evaporator for ice-machines, the R. B. EVEREST,

perforated bulk-heads I, with coils H arranged S. M. WOODWARD. 

